Home | Sports | ‘SHANA’ SET FOR RETURN

‘SHANA’ SET FOR RETURN

20/10/2018 00:57:00 BY PHOLSILE HLOPHE

Font size:

MBABANE – One of Manzini Wanderers’ highest scorers last season in Captain and midfielder Lwazi ‘Shana’ Maziya has handed his club a major boost ahead of today’s MTN Premier League clash against Tambuti.

The two sides meet at Mavuso Sports Centre this afternoon at 3:30pm. Maziya suffered an inside knee ligament injury in the first game of the season against Green Mamba. His team went on to lose the tie by 1-0. He had been out in the last three games played.

Asked about his fitness on Thursday, he said that he had recovered and was feeling much better so he has been training since the beginning of the week. However, while sounding optimistic that he was ready to play if selected by his coaches, he still was cautious to say his injury was quite tricky and it could require more days before he returns.

“I feel much better now having been out of play for quite some time and I am back in training since the beginning of the week. I am optimistic but not entirely sure if I will be playing this weekend since it’s a tricky injury that needs time and I don’t want to take the chance of returning to play before fulltime recovery. All I can do is hope for the best and then the rest will depend on the coaches to select me based on their plans,” he said.

The team’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Pat Mahlalela, said the decision about the captain participating in their game against Tambuti entirely depended on whether or not he passed the late fitness test.
“It is true that Shana is back in training but whether he plays or not depends on the doctor’s assessment of his injury. To qualify for action, he has to pass the fitness test as usual. We would not want him to play before he fully recovers but there is a glimmer of hope since he is back in training,” said Mahlalela.

Efforts to reach the team’s coach, Nyanga Hlophe were unsuccessful at the time of going to press. Meanwhile, Wanderers would be hunting for a win to improve their seventh spot on the log standings. They lost two matches and won two which leaves them with six points against Tambuti’s two points in four games.